Inner Wolf
by Amy Choiseul
Summary: Aisling Black is Sirius' little sister, she comes back to Hogwarts in Harry's third year to help Lupin in Defense Against the Dark Arts. But all is not as it seems with Aisling as Sirius, James and Peter were not the only ones who learned how to become animagi. Lupin & OC
1. Chapter 1

A young woman snuck into the Great Hall and was about to walk up to the professors table between the wall and the Gryffindor table, but the professors saw her, and all the students started to turn around when they saw all the professors looking at the doors of the Great Hall. The young woman looked to be about twenty-two and groaned when everyone turned to look at her, she had short brown hair and warm chocolate brown eyes, she wore a black cloak and a pair of jeans.

The young woman then had to change directions and walked up to the professors table between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. She glared at Dumbledore who was smiling in amusement. Harry saw Professor R.J. Lupin was glaring at the young woman.

"Ah, and just in time, this is Aisling," Professor Dumbledore announced and the young woman seemed to glare at Dumbledore even more, "she will be helping Gryffindor's third years in their classes." "Thank you for that Headmaster," Aisling said and Professor McGonagall smiled at her. As Aisling reached where Dumbledore was standing she grinned at him, and glared back at Professor Lupin.

"Can I go sit with the Gryffindor's before Remus and I decide to kill each other?" Aisling whispered to Dumbledore. "Of course, try not to get too injured," Dumbledore said grinning at her, and Aisling stuck her tongue out at Dumbledore, before going down to sit with the Gryffindor's.

* * *

Aisling reached forwards to grab a chicken leg, when the young boy beside her turned around to her. He was about thirteen or fourteen and had messy brown hair and green eyes, he wore glasses and he smiled at Aisling. "I'm Harry, Harry Potter," he said to her. "I'm Aisling, you know, you look very like your father," Aisling said. "But let me guess, I have my mother's eyes," Harry said. "Yes, but I was going to say you have the same hint of mischief in your eyes that he used to have," Aisling said grinning at him.

"I'm Fred," Fred Weasley said from beside Aisling. "I'm George," George Weasley said from beside him. "You know, you two remind me of two of my friends, it's really cool," Aisling said grinning at them. "Em, Aisling, Snape is glaring at you as if his life depends on it," Harry said looking up at the professors table. Aisling glanced up, before looking back across at Neville Longbottom who was sitting opposite Aisling. "On three, everyone glare at Snape," Aisling said.

"One," Fred said. "Two," George said. "Three," Aisling, Fred and George said at the same time and glared up at Snape. Snape looked sort of embarrassed and looked down at his plate scowling. Professor Lupin had made the mistake of looking up at the Gryffindor table when he was drinking, and started to laugh, but he ended up choking instead. Aisling grinned up at him, and Lupin was reminded of the young girl he was friends with in the days of the Marauders.

"So, did you go here before?" Harry asked Aisling. "Oh yes, I was good friends with your father, we were in the same year, and we were both in Gryffindor, along with Lupin, and my brother," Aisling answered grinning. Harry and Neville groaned when they saw Peeves floating over to them. "Ashy!" Peeves exclaimed and everyone in the Great Hall turned around. Aisling stood up and looked at Peeves. "Peevsie!" Aisling exclaimed, grinning.

Peeves embraced Aisling. "Do not scare me like that ever again!" Peeves exclaimed, "I thought you would never come back to Hogwarts, and what would I do without my trusty trouble maker?" "You'd drive all the professors crazy during the day and then drive the ghosts crazy by crying yourself to sleep at night because you missed me so much," Aisling answered.

"That I would, so how have you been keeping?" Peeves asked. "Good, how badly have you been annoying poor Professor McGonagall?" Aisling asked. "Not too badly, I've been annoying first years and Filch a lot more than I have any of the professors," Peeves answered. Aisling glanced up at McGonagall who nodded. "Oi, everyone get back to eating the feast or I will prank you lot so badly that you will wish that you never even glanced up," Peeves said. And with that everyone turned to look away, and Aisling sat back down beside Harry, and Peeves floated onto her lap, making himself a physical form.

"Fred, George, Harry I would like you guys to properly meet Peeves," Aisling said, grinning at the poltergeist who was now sitting on her lap, "he has helped me pull off most of my pranks." "Hey, I like your hoodie, where did you get it?" Peeves asked Aisling. Harry then looked at her black hoodie, it had a white box and said 'Blood, Violence'. "Oh thanks, I got it online, so how's Nicholas?" Aisling answered. "He's still rather annoyed that he isn't allowed join the headless hunt," Peeves answered.

"And how about the Bloody Baron?" Aisling asked. "He's still as bossy as ever," Peeves grumbled. "Has the Bloody Baron been keeping Peeves from causing too much trouble?" Aisling asked the twins. "Yup, himself and Dumbledore are the only ones that can control Peeves," Fred and George said at the same time. "They can't control me, I just listen to them sometimes, Aisling is the only that can truly control me," Peeves replied seriously.

"You know Peeves, I think that's as serious as you've ever been, it does't suit you," Aisling said grinning. "No it doesn't, excuse me while I go annoy Filch will you?" Peeves asked and floated away. "Why is Peeves nice to you?" Harry asked amazed. "Well, you see," Aisling said, "One of my friends, upset me and Peeves found me, he then took pity on me and decide to help me prank them."

"Cool," the Weasley twins said, "Will you help us with some pranks?" "I will if I can," Aisling said grinning, "But I might get in a lot of trouble with Mr. Grumpy face." Aisling nodded her head towards the professors table. "Snape?" Harry asked. "No, Lupin," Aisling said, "Remus has been through enough as it is. And with the pranks that I've pulled the Ministry will find me and bring me back to Azkaban." "Why would they bring you to Azkaban?" Harry asked.

Aisling rubbed her neck sheepishly. "I may have broken out of Azkaban, but they don't really mind because I was supposed to be set loose next week, and Sirius Black is on the loose," Aisling said. "What were you in for?" Harry asked. "I protected my brother, that is why I was sent to Azkaban," Aisling said sourly. "Anyway," the Weasley twins said, "Our father told us that you were an amazing quidditch player." Aisling's eyes lit up at the mention of the game.

"Yes, I love Quidditch, I hear you two are quite the beaters, McGonagall says she's never seen people so in sync since my brother and I played together," Aisling answered. The twins blushed slightly at the compliment. "And you Harry, I hear that you're the best seeker in the last fifty years," Aisling said. This time it was Harry's turn to blush slightly.

"Tell me, is the fat lady still the guardian of Gryffindor tower?" Aisling asked curiously. "Yes," the three of them answered. "Oh joy," Aisling answered sarcastically, "I've missed her so much." Harry grinned at her. "Snape is now glaring at Lupin, who is glaring back at him," Fred said amused. Aisling groaned and put a few potatoes on her spoon, before bending it back slightly and letting go. The three potatoes hit Professor Lupin in the face. Snape grinned and looked over at Aisling, nodding his head slightly in thanks. Professor McGonagall grinned at Aisling, and so did Dumbledore.

Lupin looked at Aisling and glared playfully, all earlier hatred between them forgotten. McGonagall looked over at Aisling and winked at her, smiling.

* * *

Aisling walked with Harry, Ron and Hermione to Gryffindor tower. "Where are you sleeping?" Harry asked Aisling, as Hermione said the password and they walked into the Gryffindor common room. "On the couch," Aisling said grinning and jumped onto the couch. Unfortunately for Fred, he was sitting on the couch that Aisling had decided to jump onto. After a grunt of pain from Fred, Aisling rested her head on his lap.

George grinned at his twin, who now had his hands up in the air, not sure where to put them. "Relax, Fred," Aisling said, "Just so long as Lupin doesn't walk in you'll be grand." Fred let out a sigh of relief and put his hand on Aisling's side and put his other hand on his own knee. "Why would Lupin care what Fred was doing?" Hermione asked sitting down in an armchair. "He's like a brother to me, and as such he's ridiculously protective when it comes to other guys," Aisling answered. George sighed and got up out of his chair and lifted Aisling's feet up before sitting where her feet were. Aisling put her feet on George's lap, and Ron sat in the seat that George had been sitting in.

Harry sat with his back against the couch. Aisling rested her hand on his head, and Harry grinned at her. Professor McGonagall walked into the Gryffindor Common Room, and rolled her eyes when she saw the state the six of them were in. "I see you're settling right in,"Professor McGonagall said, "I just came to make sure you were alright and were comfortable." "I am thank you, for everything Professor," Aisling said warmly. McGonagall smiled at her, "I'm sure you'll be watching the Quidditch matches."

Aisling's eyes lit up, as did Professor McGonagall's. "Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world," Aisling said grinning. "Try not to get into too much trouble, and please don't set fire to your curtains again," Professor McGonagall said. "But professor I don't have any curtains to set fire to," Aisling teased. "Don't blow up the school at least," McGonagall said on her way out, "and try to get Peeves to behave." "You know as well as I do that that's impossible professor," Aisling said grinning. "Well, try not to encourage him," McGonagall said and left the common room.

Harry, Fred and George all looked at Aisling grinning. "You're watching us play Quidditch?" the three asked at the same time. "Of course I am!" Aisling exclaimed, "Harry is supposed to be one of the best seekers in the History of Hogwarts, and it would be interesting to see you two playing together as beaters."

Aisling soon fell asleep on Fred's lap, and the others all fell asleep a few minutes afterwards.


	2. Chapter 2

Aisling woke up and looked up to see Fred's sleeping face. As soon Aisling woke up, Fred woke up and looked down at her grinning. Aisling glanced towards her feet, to see George waking up as well. Harry pushed himself off the large mound of pillows that had fallen off the couch during the night. Hermione and Ron started to wake up as well.

"So, do you guys still have breakfast in the Great Hall before going to class?" Aisling asked them. "Yup, come on!" Fred and George said and they both got up, sending Aisling tumbling off the couch and onto the ground, landing on Harry's lap. "I'm gonna kill you!" Aisling shouted and pushed up against the ground before sprinting towards the portrait of the Fat Lady.

* * *

The two Weasley twins soon came bursting into the Great Hall with Aisling not far behind. "FRED! GEORGE!" Aisling shouted as she ran towards them. They ran through the Great Hall, putting as many obstacles between themselves and Aisling. "Aisling, please try and set an example," Professor McGonagall sighed. "She'll probably try Professor," a voice said from behind Aisling. "But won't succeed," another voice said from behind them.

Aisling turned around and grinned when she saw three students standing there. The girl standing on the left had light brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a black t-shirt with the Hufflepuff crest on it along with the Hufflepuff robes, along with a pair of skinny jeans and a pair of converse that had the Hufflepuff crest on them. Aisling rushed forward and hugged her. "So, you're still a Hufflepuff Áine," Aisling said to her when they had pulled out of the hug.

The girl in the middle had slightly darker brown hair and green-y brown-y eyes. She was wearing a blue t-shirt with the Ravenclaw crest on it and the Ravenclaw robes, along with a pair of skinny jeans and converse with the Ravenclaw crest on them. Aisling then hugged her and they soon pulled out of the hug. "Sarah, how's your brother?" Aisling asked her. "He's good, still ridiculously annoying though," the girl answered grinning.

The girl on the right had dark brown hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a green t-shirt with the Slytherin crest on it along with the Slytherin robes, along with a pair of ripped skinny jeans and a pair high-top Nike's in the Slytherin colours. "Hi Kat," Aisling said and was pulled into a hug by the girl. "I had to survive being Snape's house with these two teasing you," the girl said when Aisling pulled out of the hug.

Aisling stepped back and looked at Fred, George and Harry, Ron and Hermione who had just joined them. "Guys I would like to introduce you to some of my friends from when I was in Hogwarts," Aisling said grinning, "this is Áine Smith, Sarah Davies and Kathryn Ollivander." "Ollivander, as in the wand maker?" Harry asked. "The very same, he's my dad," Kathryn said grinning, and bowed to Harry, "it is a pleasure to meet you Harry Potter."

Draco Malfoy walked by them and stopped when he saw Kathryn talking with them. "Your talking with a Hufflepuff, a Ravenclaw and Gryffindors," Draco said to Kathryn incredulously. "I'm sorry, your tone implies that I should care, Malfoy," Kathryn said to him. Draco pushed by them.

"I better go and get changed into something that I haven't slept in all night," Aisling said to all of them, before leaving for the Gryffindor tower. "Do us a favour will you?" Áine asked the five Gryffindors. "Aisling and Lupin don't get along as well as they used to you see, and they might get very angry at one another," Sarah continued. "So, we would like you to make sure that Aisling doesn't kill Lupin, and vice-versa," Kathryn told them. "Okay, but they seemed to be okay during the feast," Harry said.

* * *

Aisling sprinted to catch up with Harry, Ron and Hermione as they started going to their next class. Aisling was now wearing a red t-shirt with the Gryffindor crest and Gryffindor robes, along with a pair of baggy jeans and a pair of red converse with a Gryffindor crest on them.

They soon reached the Astronomy tower and Aisling groaned when they entered the classroom. "I hate Divination," Aisling said, and the four sat down around a table. Professor Trelawney soon entered the room.

Harry noticed that Aisling was close to falling asleep and was tuning out of the class and whatever Trelawney was saying. Harry stared dubiously into the tea-cup at the shape that was in there. "Broaden your minds my dears," Trelawney said, "and allow your eyes to see...beyond!"

As everyone was looking into their tea-cups, Trelawney walked over to where Harry, Ron, Hermione and Aisling sat. "What do you see?" Trelawney asked Ron. "Well he's got this wonky sort of cross, which means trials and suffering, but this here could be the sun," Ron said dubiously, "so you're going to suffer, but you're going to be happy about it." Aisling smiled at him.

"Give me the cup," Trelawney said and as she picked it up she dropped the cup in horror. "What is it Professor?" someone asked. "My dear boy, you have...the Grim," Trelawney said to Harry. "The grin, what's the grin?" Seamus asked. "Not the grin, the Grim," someone else answered, "it's among one of the darkest omens in our world, it's an omen, of death."

Aisling suddenly got up and left the room, she seemed rather annoyed.

* * *

Harry, Ron and Hermione found Aisling waiting at the top of the hill for them. "Death omens, honestly," Hermione said as they continued walking together down to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures, "If you ask me Divination's a very wooly discipline. Now Ancient Runes, that's a fascinating subject." "Ancient Runes? Exactly how many classes are you taking this year?" Ron asked her. "A fair few," Hermione answered.

"Hang on, Ancient Runes is the same time as Divination," Ron said, "You'd have to be in two classes at once." "Don't be silly Ron," Hermione said. "How could anyone possibly be in two places at once," Aisling said grinning at Hermione as they quickly went down to Hagrid's hut. "Use your inner eye," Hermione said mocking Professor Trelawney.

They walked down towards a bit just behind Hagrid's hut. "C'mon now get a move on," Hagrid said as the students started walking by him, "Got a real treat for you. Follow me!" They all followed Hagrid towards a small paddock just to the side of the Forbidden Forest. "Gather 'round," Hagrid said, "find yerself a spot, now firs' things you'll want ter do is open yer books." "And how are we supposed to do that?" Draco asked. "Just stroke the spine of course," Aisling said as she walked by him.

As Hermione put her book down on a tree and turned around to Harry, Ron and Aisling. "I thought they were funny," Hermione said. "Oh yes, absolutely hilarious," Draco said from behind them, "God this place is going to the dogs. Wait until my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes." "Shut up Malfoy," Harry said walking towards him.

Draco looked over Harry's shoulder and pretended to be scared. "Dementor! Dementor!" Draco said pointing over his shoulder. All the people facing Draco turned around with fear. Harry turned back around just as Draco and his friends put their hoods up teasing him. "Leave him alone, Draco," Aisling said. Draco looked slightly ashamed and nodded to Aisling, as Hermione turned Harry away from Malfoy.

"Dadada," Hagrid said suddenly, and all the students turned around to face him, "Isn't he beautiful?" There stood an animal with the front half of a giant eagle and the back half of a horse. "Hagrid, what exactly is that?" Ron asked. "That Ron is a Hippogriff," Hagrid answered, "Now firs' thing yeh gotta know is they're very proud creatures. Don't ever insult one, 'cause it migh' be the las' thing you ever do. Right then, who wants to come say hello?"

The whole class took a step back, leaving Harry standing in front, and Aisling sitting on a rock beside him. Hagrid turned back around to the class and saw Harry. "Good man, Harry," Hagrid said. Harry looked around, before reluctantly walking forwards. "This is Buckbeak. Just give him a bow, and if Buckbeak bows back yer allowed to pet him, if he doesn't well," Hagrid said, "We'll get to that later."

Harry bowed to Buckbeak, who watched him and started rearing. "Back off Harry, back off!" Hagrid said. Harry took a step back, and a twig snapped underneath him. "Stay still!" Aisling said from the rock. Harry stayed very still, and glanced up at Buckbeak, who looked at him again, before bowing to him.

"Well done Harry!" Hagrid said, "Now, give 'im a pat." Harry tentatively walked towards Buckbeak. "Careful Harry," Hagrid said, "Now, let him come to you." Harry stopped and Buckbeak took a few steps towards him, and Harry rubbed Buckbeak's beak. The class clapped slightly. "Look at that! I reckon he migh' let yeh ride 'im!" Hagrid said to Harry and winked at Aisling, who jumped off the rock and walked towards Buckbeak. "What?" Harry asked looking at Hagrid, who picked him up and put him on Buckbeak's back.

Buckbeak bowed to Aisling with Harry on his back. "I think you'd better go with them," Hagrid said grinning to Aisling, as Buckbeak stood back up. Aisling walked around to Buckbeak's side, and Harry reached a hand down to her, Aisling took his hand and he pulled her up onto Buckbeak behind him, unbalancing himself slightly. "Don't pull out any of his feathers 'cause he won't thank ye for that!" Hagrid said and whacked Buckbeak's hind-quarters.

Buckbeak galloped forwards, and Harry fell forwards Aisling held onto his waist tightly. Buckbeak stretched out his wings, and suddenly they were flying. As Buckbeak circled around Hogwarts, Aisling looked in through a window to see the Weasley twins and Kathryn in the classroom, and unsurprisingly Kathryn looked to be getting into trouble with Snape. The Weasley twins saw Aisling and Harry and waved at them.

Buckbeak flew away from the castle, and flew over the Black Lake, getting close to the surface of the lake and letting his claws skim across the surface. Harry felt Aisling let go of his waist. "Let go," she whispered to him. Harry slowly let go of Buckbeak's neck, and spread his arms out wide, loving the feeling of the wind against his face, and just flying.

Buckbeak pulled up form the Black Lake, and Harry clung to his neck once again, and Aisling held onto his waist again, except she held on lightly. Hagrid let out a whistle, and Buckbeak went back to paddock, before landing. As soon as Buckbeak stopped, Harry reached back and helped Aisling off Buckbeak. "Well done Harry! Well done Buckbeak!" Hagrid said as everyone but Malfoy was clapping. Hagrid lifted Harry off Buckbeak's back. "How am I doin' on me firs' day?" Hagrid asked him quietly. "Brilliant, professor!" Harry said grinning.

Malfoy pushed past the students and started walking towards Buckbeak. "Yeah, you're not dangerous at all are you? You big ugly brute," Malfoy said to Buckbeak as he got closer and closer. "Malfoy, no," Hagrid said. Buckbeak reared up, and his claws came down, scraping Malfoy's arm, and sending him to the ground. "He's killed me!" Malfoy said. "Buckbeak!" Hagrid said and took a ferret off his shoulder before throwing it away, Hagrid then turned back towards Malfoy. "It's just a scratch," Hagrid said. "Hagrid!" Hermione said bursting through the students, "He has to be taken to the Hospital Wing!" "I'm the teacher, I'll do it," Hagrid said lifting Malfoy up and walking away, "Class dismissed!" "You'll pay for this, you and your bloody chicken," Malfoy muttered.

Buckbeak walked over to Harry and nuzzled against his shoulder. Harry rubbed Buckbeak's nose, and Aisling grinned at him. "He likes you," Aisling said, before turning back towards the rest of the class. "Slytherins, you can go to the Hospital Wing if you want to, I trust that by now you guys can find your way to your common room," Aisling said to the class. Only a few Slytherins went after Hagrid and Draco, while the rest stayed in the paddock. "Thank you," one of the Slytherins said before going back towards the castle with the other Slytherins along with most of the Gryffindors.

"So, lets go back to the castle," Aisling said to Harry, Ron and Hermione. As they started walking back towards the castle, they heard the snapping of twigs, and they turned around to see Buckbeak following them. "I know what you want," Aisling said, before throwing a ferret from a metal stand to Buckbeak, who caught it in his mouth, "Hagrid will be back soon."

* * *

"Does it hurt terribly Draco?" Pansy asked him. "It comes and goes, still I consider myself lucky. Another few seconds and I could have lost my arm," Draco said. Aisling snorted under her breath as Harry, Ron and Hermione looked over at him. "He's really laying it on thick isn't he?" Ron asked. "At least Hagrid didn't get the sack," Harry said. "Yes but I've heard Draco's father was furious, I don't think we've heard the end of this," Hermione said. "Lucius is always furious," Aisling muttered.

"He's been sighted, he's been sighted!" Seamus exclaimed running into the Great Hall with a newspaper. "Who?" Ron asked. Seamus put the newspaper on the table, showing a picture of Sirius Black. "Achintee? That's not far from here," Hermione muttered to herself. "The bloody eijit, the absolute moron," Aisling muttered under her breath, putting her head in her hands. "You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts to you?" Neville asked nervously.

"With the dementors at every exit?" Lavender asked. "Dementors?" Seamus asked, "He's already slipped past them once, who's to say he won't do it again?" A flicker of fear passed over Harry's face, and he looked up at Aisling to see a look of fear on her face. "That's right," one of the students said, "Black could be anywhere, it's like trying to catch smoke, like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands."

Aisling got up from the table and left the Great Hall, Harry was the only that noticed that she left, well Harry and Lupin. Harry noticed Lupin got up and left the Great Hall as well.


	3. Chapter 3

Professor Lupin and his class walked into the staff's lounge, only to find Professor Snape and Aisling sitting down. Snape grinned slightly and something Aisling had said. Snape got up and left the room, and only Aisling and Peeves were left, staring at Lupin and his class.

Peeves stuffed the keyhole with chewing gum. "Peeves, please take out the gum," Lupin said politely. In response, Peeves just blew a raspberry at Lupin and began chanting, "Loony, loopy, Lupin," over and over again. "Peeves, stop tormenting Moony," Aisling said laughing. Peeves turned to look at Aisling with a puppy dog look, but Lupin whispered a spell under his breath and the chewing gum went shooting up Peeves' nose.

Peeves glared at Lupin before looking at Aisling slightly concerned and said, "Loony, loopy, Lupin," one last time. The wardrobe at the back of the staff lounge suddenly began to shake. Lupin and his students glanced back at it. "Would anyone like to venture a guess, as to what's inside?" Lupin asked his class. "That's a boggart that is," Seamus muttered, and Aisling grinned over at him. "Well done Mr. Finnigan, now can anyone tell us what a boggart looks like?" Lupin asked.

"No one knows," Hermione answered, and Ron who was standing beside her jumped. "When'd she get here?" Ron asked Harry. Harry shrugged and looked at Hermione. "Boggarts are shape-shifters, they take the shape of whatever a particular person fears the most, that's what makes it so-" "Terrifying, yes. Luckily a very simple charm exists to repel a Boggart. Let's practice it now, shall we? Without wands please," Lupin said, "Riddikulus!" "Riddikulus," the class repeated after him.

"This class is ridiculous," Malfoy muttered to one of his friends. "The incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a Boggart off is laughter," Lupin said, "You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. Neville, come up here will you?" Neville looked uncertainly at the wardrobe, before glancing at Aisling who gave him a reassuring smile, and walked to Professor Lupin. "What frightens you most?" Lupin asked him. "Professor Snape," Neville said quietly. "Didn't catch that, sorry Neville," Lupin said.

"Professor Snape," Neville said. Everyone laughed. "Yes, Professor Snape," Lupin said. "He frightens us all," Aisling said, and the class laughed again. "I believe you live with your grandmother," Lupin said. "Yes, but I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either," Neville said. "It won't," Lupin said looking back at the wardrobe, "Now, I want you to picture her clothes, only her clothes, can you do that for me?" "She carries a red handbag," Neville said. "That's fine, we don't need to hear it, if you see it, we will," Lupin said, "Now when I open this wardrobe, here's what I want you to do." Aisling walked over to Neville and whispered something into his ear.

"Right then, wand at the ready," Lupin said, "One, two, three!" The wardrobe opened, and Professor Snape walked out. "Think Neville, think," Lupin muttered. "R-riddikulus," Neville said. Suddenly Snape was wearing a long green dress, a crimson handbag, a pair of red high heels and a tall hat. Instantly the whole class roared with laughter. "Very good, Neville," Lupin said, "Ron!" Ron stepped forward.

Suddenly, Snape changed into a massive hairy spider. "Riddikulus!" Ron said. The spider suddenly had skates on and was losing it's balance. Ron grinned and walked back to the end of the line.

Lupin walked over to the gramophone, and dropped the needle. Aisling sat up on the window-sill beside the gramophone grinning. "Parvati!" Lupin said, and Parvati stepped forward. The spider instantly started to change, and it chose the form of a giant cobra. "Riddikulus!" Parvati said, the cobra changed into jack-in-the-box. Lupin grinned and high-fived Aisling. "Next!" Lupin exclaimed.

Harry stepped forward, grinning slightly, before suddenly losing his smile. The Boggart began to change and Aisling looked at him concerned. "Moony," Aisling said. Lupin looked over, concern flickered across his face. The Boggart changed into a large cloaked figure that was floating, Harry froze. Aisling pushed Lupin forward and he stepped in front of Harry. "Here!" he shouted at the Boggart, who changed into the moon, "Riddikulus!" The moon burst, and went flying around the classroom.

Aisling suddenly jumped off the window-sill and walked over to Lupin. "Why did the Boggart change into a dementor when Harry stepped up?" Aisling whispered to him, very calmly. "Obviously, his fear is of dementors," Lupin replied. "And why, exactly, would he come across a dementor?" Aisling asked. "There was one on the train to Hogwarts, it came into Harry's compartment," Lupin answered. Aisling growled slightly and walked out of the room. "Well done everyone," Lupin said, watching Aisling leave, "I think that's enough excitement for today."

As Harry was leaving the classroom, he glanced back at Lupin to see him looking worriedly over Harry's shoulder in the direction that Aisling had gone. "Come on, let's go find Aisling," Hermione said.

* * *

A great buzzing of students, each clutching permission forms passed by a glowering Filch. "Remember! These visits to Hogsmeade village are a privilege, should your behaviour reflect badly on the school that privilege shall not be extended again," McGonagall said to the students, and as Harry walked up to her with a permission form, she stopped him before he said anything, "No permission form, no visiting the village, that's the rule Potter."

"Yes Professor, but I thought that if you say I can go-" "But I don't say so, a parent or guardian must sign, since I am neither, it would be inappropriate," McGonagall said, she looked at him with pity, "I'm sorry Potter, but that's my final word." Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione, and shook his head, before waving good-bye to them.

Aisling suddenly pounded over to Harry. "Look on the bright side, you get to stay with me and Moony," Aisling said happily. "Why do you call him Moony?" Harry asked. "It's a nick-name that he got when we were in Hogwarts," Aisling answered grinning, "now come on, let's go find him, he's probably wandering around the castle."

Soon, they were on the bridge talking with Lupin. "Professor can I ask you something?" Harry asked. "You'd like to know why I stopped you from facing that Boggart," Lupin said, "I should think it's obvious, I assumed the Boggart would take the form of Lord Voldemort, but clearly I was wrong." "I did think of Voldemort at first," Harry said, "but then I remembered that night on the train, and the dementors." Harry could have sworn he heard Aisling growl at the mention of the dementors.

"Well, well, I'm impressed, that suggests that what you fear the most, is fear itself," Lupin said regarding Harry, "very wise." "Before I fainted," Harry said, "I heard something, a woman...screaming." "Dementors force us to relive the worst memories of our lives," Lupin said and glanced at Aisling, "our pain becomes their power."

"I think it was my mother," Harry said smiling across the lake, "the night she was murdered." Harry looked up at Lupin and Aisling, Aisling seemed to be slightly in pain, before her teasing smile came back on. "The first time I saw you Harry, I recognized you immediately. Not by your scar, by your eyes, they're your mother Lily's," Lupin said. "Don't forget that he has the mischievous look in his eyes that James used to get," Aisling added, and Harry smiled at her, while Lupin walked to the opposite side of the bridge.

"Yes, I knew her," Lupin continued ignoring Aisling, "she was there for me during a time, when no one else was, she was not only a singularly gifted witch, but an uncommonly kind woman. She had a way of seeing the beauty in whoever she met." "Perhaps most especially when that person couldn't see it themselves," Aisling said, here eyes glazing over slightly in memory, before grinning again, "which perhaps explains her affection of your father."

"James had, shall we say, a certain talent for trouble," Lupin said grinning, "a gift, rumour has it, he passed onto you." Harry looked at them both grinning slightly. "Of course he bloody has that talent!" Aisling exclaimed, "Look at that look of mischief in his eyes, and McGonagall told me not to encourage him or the Weasley twins."

* * *

"And the post office!" Hermione exclaimed as herself, Harry, Ron and Aisling walked up the staircases to the Gryffindor common room, "It's about two hundred owls, all sitting on colour-coded shelves, depending on how fast you want your letter to go!"

"What's the hold-up? Only Neville ever forgets the password," Ron said as the four stopped because of a large cluster of students at the top of the staircase. "Hey!" Neville said from behind them. "Sorry," Ron said sheepishly. "Let me through, please!" a voice shouted, "Excuse me, thank you, I'm Head Boy!" The voice stopped for a few seconds. "Back! All of you!" the voice shouted, "No one is to enter this dormitory until it is fully searched!"

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Aisling all exchanged looks. Ginny walked towards them, her face ashen. "The Fat Lady, she's gone," Ginny told them. Dumbledore walked through the crowd of students. "Mr. Filch, round up the ghosts, tell them to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady," Dumbledore said. Aisling glanced at her friends, before pushing past some of the students and standing up beside Dumbledore.

Aisling suddenly turned around and started looking around at the different paintings on the different levels. "There'll be no need for ghosts, professor," Aisling said and pointed to where she had spotted the Fat Lady. All the students rushed up to the level, behind Dumbledore to where the Fat Lady was. "Dear lady, who did this to you?" Dumbledore asked her.

"Eyes like the devil he's got," the Fat Lady answered, "and a soul as dark as his name, it was him Headmaster, Sirius Black!" All the students gasped, while Harry looked up at Aisling who's hands became fists instead. "Stupid idiotic mutt," she said angrily, not caring who heard her. Dumbledore looked at her with concern. "Secure the castle, Mr. Filch. The rest of you...to the Great Hall," Dumbledore said.

* * *

Harry lay awake in his sleeping bag. "I've done the dungeons Headmaster, no signs of Black," Professor Snape's voice said, "nor anyone else in the castle." "He isn't anywhere in the castle," Aisling's voice said. Harry couldn't mistake her voice, she was the only one in Hogwarts, aside from Seamus, that had an Irish accent. "I really didn't expect him to linger," Dumbledore replied.

"Remarkable feat, don't you think," Snape said, "to enter Hogwarts castle on one's own, completely undetected." "If you're talking about Remus, he had nothing to do with it, he still thinks that it's mine and Sirius' fault," Aisling said. "I do not believe a single professor inside this castle would have helped Sirius Black enter it, Severus," Dumbledore said. Harry knew for some reason, that Dumbledore was instead looking at Aisling when he said that.

Dumbledore looked over at the slumbering students. "No..I feel quite confident the castle is safe," Dumbledore said, "and I'm more than willing to let the students return to their Houses. But tomorrow, for now let them sleep." Harry shut his eyes, when he heard Dumbledore's footsteps stop just at his head. "It's astonishing what the body can endure," Dumbledore said, "when the mind allows itself to rest." Dumbledore walked away with Snape following him. Aisling bent down to Harry. "That means he knows that you're awake, and that you should probably go to sleep," Aisling whispered to him, "I'll be sleeping right in front of you, I'll be back in a minute."

Aisling walked to where the Hufflepuff's were, and walked over some of the sleeping figures before seeing the familiar blonde hair of a boy. Aisling put her hand over his mouth, and he instantly woke up. "Hi Cedric, where's Áine?" Aisling asked him. Cedric took Aisling's hand away from his mouth and pointed to the sleeping figure to his right. Aisling nodded, and poked the person in the ribs.

Áine woke up and glared over at Aisling. "What do you want?" Áine asked sleepily. "There's a full moon tonight, try to keep students away from Lupin's office," Aisling whispered to her. Áine nodded before going back to sleep. As Aisling went to jump over Cedric, he grabbed her ankle. "It's good to have you back," Cedric whispered to her grinning before going back to sleep.

Aisling grinned and walked back to where the Gryffindor's were and slipped into the sleeping bag beside Harry. "Good night, Aisling," Harry said, before finally going to sleep. "Good night, Prongslet," Aisling said quietly and went to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Snape walked into Lupin's classroom, and he closed all the shutters with his wand. Aisling sat up at the desk at the top of the room, and the students looked up confused at Snape. "Turn to page three hundred and ninety four," Snape said looking at the class.

Malfoy scrawled something on a piece of paper, before turning it into a moth, and grinned up at Aisling. "Excuse me sir, but where's Professor Lupin?" Harry asked Snape. "That's not really any of your concern is it Potter?" Snape asked, and received a whack to the back of his head from Aisling. Most of the students covered their laughter, including Draco Malfoy. "Suffice it to say, your Professor find himself incapable of teaching at the present time," Snape said, Aisling laughed, "page three hundred and ninety four."

"Lupin is so far from being capable of teaching right now it's hilarious," Aisling said grinning. Ron was slowly flicking to the page, Snape became impatient and flicked his wand at Ron's book, sending it instantly to page three hundred to page ninety four. "Werewolves?" Ron asked. "But, sir," Hermione protested, "we've only just begin learning about Red Caps and Hinkypunks."

"Quiet!" Snape said warningly. "When did she come in?" Ron asked Harry, "Did you see her come in?" "Now, which of you can tell me the difference between an Animagus," Snape said and glanced at Aisling, "and a werewolf?" Hermione put her hand up, while everyone else stared mutely at the slideshow that Snape had started. "No one? How disappointing," Snape said. The moth that Malfoy had made flew by Harry, and Harry grabbed it, pinning it down to the table.

"Please sir, an Animagus is a wizard who elects to turn into an animal, a werewolf has no choice," Hermione answered, "furthermore, the werewolf actively hunts humans and responds only to the call of it's own kind." Malfoy let out a howl, and some of the Slytherin's laughed. "Quiet Mr. Malfoy, though one must admit to feeling your pain," Snape said, which earned him another smack on the head, "that is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger. Tell me, are you incapable of restraining yourself? Or do you take pride in being an insufferable know-it-all?" "Severus!" Aisling said furiously and Snape flinched away from Aisling.

"He's got a point you know," Ron whispered to Harry. Harry unfolded the piece of parchment that was the moth. It was a drawing of Harry on his broom wearing his Quidditch robes being struck by lightning from above. Aisling grinned over at him, before setting fire to the piece of parchment. Harry smiled back at her.

* * *

Aisling watched the Quidditch match grinning. She stood beside Áine, Kathryn, Sarah, Ron and Hermione. "Where's Harry?" Hermione asked. "Up there," Aisling said pointing up at the sky. "Is that Cedric?" Kathryn asked pointing at another figure that they could barely make out through the rain and the fog. "Yup, can't you see the Hufflepuff colours, and he's watching Harry closely," Aisling answered and grinned at Áine who elbowed her.

Harry suddenly came flying down. "He isn't on his broom!" Sarah exclaimed. True enough, Harry wasn't on his broom, he was free-falling, with a good few dementors following him. "No!" Hermione shouted. Cedric had got the snitch, and came flying towards Aisling, Áine and Kathryn at an incredible speed. "What's happened with Harry?" Cedric asked them, as he hovered in mid-air. "He's fallen off his broom, Cedric you have to help him!" Áine shouted.

Cedric nodded, and flew closer to them, before grabbing Aisling's arm and lifted her onto his broom behind him. "Why are you bringing Aisling?" Hermione asked. "I need someone to keep the Dementors away," Cedric said grinning and flew quickly towards where Harry was falling even quicker through the air with Dementors following him.

"Aresto Momentum!" Cedric shouted pointing his wand at Harry. Harry's fall slowed down, and Aisling took out her wand. "Expecto Patronum," she muttered under her breath. A blue flicker came out of her wand, before it turned into a large wolf and charged towards the dementors, chasing them away. The Weasley twins flew down to Harry and grabbed him before he hit the ground, George put Harry behind him on his broom, while Fred sped over towards Aisling and Cedric.

"Fred, pass me your club please," Aisling said. Fred nodded and gave her his beater's club. Aisling grinned as a bludger came flying towards her and she whacked it towards where Draco had joined Áine, Kathryn, Sarah, Ron and Hermione were standing. "Get him to Madam Pomfrey!" Aisling shouted to them as George flew over towards where they were with Harry.

Áine and Kathryn lifted Harry off the broom. "I'll give you a hand getting him to Madam Pomfrey," a young man said. He had short dark brown hair, with chocolate brown eyes and seemed to be about seventeen or eighteen and was wearing the Gryffindor quidditch team uniform."Thank you," Áine and Kathryn said. The three of them lifted the unconscious Harry and started bringing him to the Hospital Wing.

Cedric looked after Harry worriedly. Cedric and Fred flew down and landed on the ground. Aisling jumped off the broom and ran to where the professor's were, the Gryffindor quidditch team hurried in the same direction that Áine, Kathryn and the young man had gone carrying Harry, after touching down. No-one seemed to care that Hufflepuff had won the match.

* * *

"Looks a little peaky doesn't he," a voice said. "Peaky? What did you expect him to look like?" Fred asked. "He just fell from fifty feet," George said. "C'mon Ron," Aisling's voice said and then the twin's joined hers, "we'll walk you off the Astronomy Tower and see how you come out looking." "Probably a right sight better than he normally does," Harry said waking up.

"Harry how're you feeling?" Hermione asked. Harry sat up against his pillow, and grinned when he saw the Gryffindor quidditch team, Aisling, Ron, Hermione, Sarah, Áine and Kathryn standing beside his bed. "Brilliant," Harry answered. "Gave us quite a scare mate," Fred said grinning at him. "What happened?" Harry asked. "You fell off your broom," Ron answered. "I think he figured that bit out for himself," Kathryn said.

"I meant the match, who won?" Harry asked. Everyone glanced at each other uncomfortably. "No one blames you, Harry," Ron said, "the dementors aren't meant to come on the grounds. Dumbledore was furious!" Harry nodded grimly, his jaw clenching. "There's something else you should know Harry," Ron said rather uncomfortably, "your Nimbus, when it blew away...it sort of landed in the Whomping Willow, and well." Ron tipped a bag of splintered wood into Harry's lap. "Wonderful way to break the new Ron," Áine said.

Madam Pomfrey came over and started shooing the quidditch players away. "Please Poppy," Aisling said pleadingly. "Knowing you, Aisling, you'll be here before long," Madam Pomfrey said, "I guess you guys can stay here a little while longer." "I'm Oliver Wood," the young man who had helped Áine and Kathryn carry Harry to the Hospital Wing said. "Aisling," Aisling said introducing herself, "this is Áine Smith, Kathryn Ollivander and Sarah Davies." "Judging by how you grabbed the club off Fred, you used to play Quidditch," Oliver said.

"Yup, although I much prefer hurling," Aisling said and got a high five from Áine, Kathryn and Sarah. "What's hurling?" Oliver asked confused. "He doesn't know what hurling is," Aisling and Kathryn said looking at Oliver in shock. "Calm down," Áine said, "remember he's Scottish, and also he's lived in the wizarding world so he's grown up with Quidditch."

"That's the same reaction that Wood had when he found out that I didn't know about Quidditch," Harry said smiling. "We better go, before Poppy decides that Aisling needs to pay a visit to the Hospital Wing sooner than she intended," Sarah said grinning. Everyone waved goodbye to Harry, who grinned at them as Áine gave Kathryn and Aisling a whack on the back of their heads as they gently shoved each other.

* * *

"I'm sorry about your broom Harry," Professor Lupin said as he walked through the forest with Aisling and Harry, "there's no chance of fixing it?" Harry shook his head, and grinned as Aisling sat down at the edge of the Black Lake and dipped her feet in.

"Why do they affect me so, Professor?" Harry asked Lupin suddenly, "I mean, more than everyone else?" "Dementors are along the foulest creatures that walk this earth," Lupin answered and glanced at Aisling's face, which suddenly became tense, "they feed on every good feeling, every happy moment, until a person is left with nothing but their bad experiences. You're not weak, Harry. The dementors affect you most, because there are true horrors in your past. Horrors your classmates can scarcely imagine, you have nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm scared, Professor," Harry said. "He'd consider you a fool if you weren't," Aisling said grinning at him. "I need to learn how to fight them," Harry said looking at Lupin, "you could teach me professor, you made that Dementor on the train go away." "There was only one that night," Lupin said. "But you made it go away," Harry said.

"I don't pretend to be an expert," Lupin said, glancing at Aisling yet again, "but yes, I can teach you. Perhaps after the holiday, for now I should rest." "You know, I feel like doing something horrible to Snape," Aisling said grinning at them. "I really don't like that smile, that means bad things will happen," Lupin said when he saw Aisling smiling evilly at him.

"You should go to Poppy if you're side is still hurting you," Lupin said to Aisling suddenly. "I'm perfectly okay, Moony," Aisling said smiling. "What's wrong?" Harry asked. "Just an old injury," Aisling said to him, "anyway, you're the one we should be worried about, you fell fifty feet." "I'm perfectly okay thanks to Madam Pomfrey," Harry said and then smiled at Aisling, "and you, I hear." "I didn't do anything, just, hit a bludger towards Áine and Kathryn and that was it," Aisling said grinning.

* * *

Aisling and Harry were walking back from talking with Lupin, they saw Áine, Kathryn and Sarah with a few wooden sticks. "What do they have?" Harry asked curiously. "They, my friend, are called hurls," Aisling said grinning excitedly. "You up for teaching these Quidditch players how to play hurling?" Áine asked her. The Weasley twins and Oliver were walking behind them, when suddenly Draco Malfoy came walking towards them. To Harry's surprise, Draco wasn't flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, and seemed to be genuinely smiling.

"You up to learn how to play Quidditch Draco?" Kathryn asked him. "Definitely," Draco said grinning at them. Kathryn grinned back at him and threw him one of the wooden sticks Aisling had called 'hurls'. As Áine threw Aisling one of the hurls, Harry noticed that they had a grip at the handle of them, and at the bottom they were curved. There was a metal strip going across the bottom curved bit. Sarah then threw Harry a hurl.

"Good god, Harry," Aisling said looking over at Harry and how he was holding the hurl, "that is NOT how you hold a hurl!" Aisling sighed and walked over to Harry and moved his hands up to the top of the handle of the hurl. "Are you right-handed or left?" Aisling asked him. "Right-handed," Harry answered. Aisling nodded and moved his left hand to the very top of the handle, and his right hand just below that.

"Áine, Kat, will you please teach Harry here the basics of hurling while I teach the others about the grip of the hurl, Sarah will you please get the sliotars?" Aisling asked them. Áine, Kathryn and Sarah nodded, and while Áine and Kathryn walked over to Harry, Sarah walked over to a large back that they had dropped earlier on.

"Right, now that you all know how to hold a hurl, you better learn how to hit a ball," Áine said. "You two will find this slightly easier," Aisling said to the Weasley twins, "being a beater is rather like playing hurling." "Yes it is," Kathryn said grinning, "do you think Oliver will be a good keeper"? "Maybe," Sarah answered.

"Right, when I throw the ball towards you, you have to hit it in whatever way feels natural," Áine said, "if you're hitting it wrong, we'll teach you how to hit it correctly." "Ready?" Kathryn asked. "I'll be back in a second, you just continue going on, I have to get something," Aisling said and ran into Hogwarts. Kathryn grinned and threw a sliotair towards Fred, who swung the hurl, and sent the sliotair flying.

"That's exactly how you do it," Áine said smiling. The others followed and nobody needed to be corrected. "Now, as soon as Aisling get's back we can start passing the ball around and perhaps start a messing match," Sarah said. "Right," George said grinning at them.


	5. Chapter 5

Aisling came back grinning and Harry noticed that she had a different hurl in her hands. This one had a red and gold grip and Aisling was twirling it around like it was the lightest thing in the world. "How did you find that hurl?" Sarah exclaimed. "Didn't Filch and McGonagall take that away from you in fifth year?" Áine asked.

"Peeves may have found lying around," Aisling said grinning. "Lying around, meaning he nicked it from Filch's office," Kathryn explained to Harry. "Aisling, I know this probably isn't the best time to ask you this, but how did you stay sane when you were in Azkaban?" "You were in Azkaban!" everyone except Áine, Sarah and Kathryn exclaimed. "Sane?" Kathryn scoffed.

"When has she ever been sane, ever?" Áine asked. "Mainly it was just talking with my dearest cousin, oh and I just kept thinking about hurling," Aisling answered grinning, and Oliver threw her a sliotair, which she easily caught in her left hand. "You guys ready to have some fun?" Sarah asked grinning at the others.

* * *

Everyone watched in horror as the sliotair that Aisling had just hit, started hurdling towards Dumbledore. After about half an hour of practising on the ground, they had all grabbed some brooms and made the game more interesting. Aisling groaned, and leaned forward on her broom and she sped towards Dumbledore on the broom.

"Duck!" Oliver shouted to Dumbledore, who looked up, startled to see Aisling speeding towards him, following a sliotair with a large wooden stick raised in her right hand. And just as Dumbledore was preparing himself to be hit in the face by the hard leather ball, he looked up suddenly when he heard a loud, WHACK!

Aisling had hit the sliotair before it could hit Dumbledore, and had sent it back up to where the others floated on their broom waiting for the outcome. "Thank you," Dumbledore said eyes twinkling with amusement, "I don't think being hit in the face with a sliotair would be a very pleasant thing to happen at Christmas."

Aisling reached into her hoodie pocket and pulled out a wrapped present. "I got you a Christmas present sir," Aisling said grinning. Dumbledore smiled and opened the wrapping to find a pair of warm fluffy socks with bunnies on them. "You actually listened to me!" Dumbledore exclaimed grinning. " 'Course I did sir, you come out with some rather interesting things," Aisling answered grinning at him.

"That he does, but sir it isn't Christmas yet, so you shouldn't have opened your present," Kathryn said to Dumbledore, who's eyes twinkled even more. "It doesn't matter," Aisling said grinning. "I suppose you'll also be getting a present for Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said grinning, "oh, before I forget, Severus would like a word with you." Aisling's jaw clenched and Áine, Kathryn and Sarah looked at her face, before grinning at Dumbledore, who's eyes twinkled even more.

"You know, I think I'm a bit busy, teaching these guys how to play hurling," Aisling muttered under her breath. "Aisling!" a voice shouted from the castle, behind them. They all turned around to see Professor Snape walking towards them. "See you later!" Aisling exclaimed before running away from them, and Snape started running after her.

"Run Forest, run!" Kathryn, Áine and Sarah shouted after Aisling. Aisling took a sudden sharp turn and started running back towards them, with Snape slipping on the grass, before following her back. Aisling suddenly whipped out her wand and Snape stood at a stand still, and everyone actually thought they saw a flicker of fear cross Snape's face.

"Keep the hell away from me," Aisling said angrily looking at Snape. "I apologize," Snape said, making everyone except Aisling and Dumbledore stare at him in shock, "it was wrong of me to bring that up, I know that what the ministry think they know about you." Aisling's jaw remained clenched and her eyes looked slightly pained. "Don't come near me, Severus," Aisling said and stalked away. The Weasley twins and Oliver followed her. Snape actually looked like he was in pain.

Harry looked uncertainly at his friends wondering what he was supposed to do. "Anyway, now that we have officially seen the impossible which is Snape in pain, we better go make sure Aisling's okay," Sarah said grinning slightly, making Snape smile ever so slightly. "Why is she going towards the Forbidden Forest?" Ron asked suddenly looking over Snape's shoulder. "Crap!" Áine, Kathryn and Sarah shouted and were about to go after her but Snape grabbed her arm. "Don't she needs to be by herself," Snape said. "Yes, and her going into the forest, with the Weasley twins and Oliver Wood, things are going to great," Dumbledore said, eyes loosing their twinkle for a second before they came back again.

"I don't want to know what will happen in that forest," Snape muttered and walked away.

* * *

As Aisling, Oliver Wood and the Weasley twins walked towards the Forbidden Forest, they saw Aisling grinning at a figure at the very edge of the forest. Aisling started jogging, and Oliver shared a look with the twins before jogging after her. "Firenze!" Aisling exclaimed when they got to the edge of the forest.

The figure that they had seen at the edge of the forest turned out to be a centaur. He had curly brown hair that was down to his jaw, and a slight beard that was also brown. He had brown eyes, and his horse half was also a dark brown.

"Hello, Mutt," Firenze said affectionately as he hugged Aisling, "you actually worried Ronan!" "What, that's impossible," Aisling said joking, completely forgetting about Snape. "I heard that, Mutt," another centaur said from behind Firenze, smiling fondly at Aisling. He looked rather like Firenze, but was slightly younger. "Oliver, Fred, George, this is Firenze," Aisling said gesturing to him, "and this is Ronan."

"Oh, I was told to give this to you," Ronan said taking a step forward and giving Aisling an envelope. "Thank you," Aisling said looking at the envelope curiously before grinning up at the centaurs, "Dumbledore told you that Snape upset me didn't he?" "Yes," Ronan said smiling at her. "Right, how long do you think it will be before Snape realizes I'm joking?" Aisling asked them grinning. Oliver and the twins looked at her amazed.

"What did he call you?" Ronan asked, stroking his jaw. "He called me a mongrel," Aisling answered, while the twins and Oliver looked rather confused as to why it was that people kept referring to Aisling as a dog. "It say you might be able to keep it up for another day without bursting into laughter," Ronan answered. "That hurts," Aisling said putting her hands to her chest. "But it's true," Firenze said grinning.

"We should probably head back to the castle," Aisling said grinning at the centaurs before they turned around. "You mean, you were just having Snape on?" Oliver asked grinning as they walked back to the castle. "Yup," Aisling answered grinning. "That's bloody brilliant," George said. "I tip my hat to you, madam," Fred said. Aisling suddenly plonked herself onto the ground and smiled up at the three Hogwarts students. "Sit," Aisling said, and they all sat down on the ground and looked over at her.

Aisling opened the envelope in her hand. "Here read my brother's letter," Aisling said and passed it over to Oliver.

_**Demon-spawn,**_

**_How are things in the castle? I'm wandering around the grounds with Padfoot, who continues to whimper about the fact that he can't talk to you without the Ministry wanting to look you up again. I hear Lupin's a professor now, tell him congratulations from me, he'll make a great professor just like you have always said. If he's being horrible to you, which I suspect he is, tell him it's all my fault. I hear Snivellus is a professor now, I'm so sorry. And knowing you, you've probably made some friends on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and are letting them read this, so for that I say hello. I'd better go, stay strong little wolf,_**

_** Your favourite brother.**_

The twins grinned up at her, and Oliver grinned as well. "That's your brother?" George asked her. Aisling nodded. "He sounds like a prankster," Fred said smiling at her. "Oh he was, one of the best," Aisling answered, "do you guys want to help me write a letter back to him?" "Sure," the tree guys answered. "Right, I have to go get the others," Aisling replied and pushed herself up and running to the castle.

* * *

"I'm back!" Aisling exclaimed plonking herself back onto the ground. "And she brought us with us!" Sarah exclaimed grinning, and sat down beside them. Kathryn, Áine, Seamus, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Cedric sat down as well, while a young man with messy brown hair and brown eyes. He wore a blue t-shirt saying 'Don't grow up, it's a trap!' He also wore jeans and a pair of converse that had the Ravenclaw crest on them. He was about six foot four, and seemed rather muscular.

"Oh, yeah," Aisling said looking at the young man, "this is Lucas, he's also a Ravenclaw and almost got expelled when he pelted Snape with snowballs." "Hi," Lucas said smiling. "Now, we have to write a letter to brother dearest." "You mean the mutt?" Áine asked grinning. "He's not a mutt!" Kathryn exclaimed, "He's just slightly fluffy." Aisling, Áine, Kathryn, Lucas and Cedric started laughing as soon as Kathryn said this.

"Right," Aisling said, managing to stop laughing, and checked her pockets before taking a piece of paper out of her jeans. "Anyone have a pen?" Aisling asked looking around. "What's a pen?" Ron, Fred, George and Oliver asked. "It's a muggle sort of quill," Hermione and Harry answered at the same time. "Yup," Kathryn said and pulled a pen out of her Slytherin robes.

After a few minutes of writing Aisling looked up and grinned. "How does this look?" Aisling asked giving the letter to Áine, Sarah and Kathryn who always checked her spelling. "Can we read it out loud?" Kathryn asked grinning reading the first few lines. "Sure," Aisling answered grinning, and Áine cleared her throat.

**_Eijit,_**

**_It's good here in the castle, please tell Snuffles, NOT Padfoot, to start acting like the dog he is, and not to be a puppy. Yes, Lupin is a professor now but he blames me for everything that happened that night. Snivellus is a professor, and his name is Professor Snape! He's actually being nice to me unlike Lupin. The ministry presently don't care about the fact that I've escaped and are presently more concerned about that horrible murderous Sirius Black. Yes, I have made friends with some Gryffindor Quidditch players, and one of them is the Gryffindor captain. Anyway better go, the guys say hi, and Shadow snorted when he heard about Padfoot whimpering and missing us._**

**_ Demon-spawn._**

"Nice," Harry said laughing. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be heading to a brilliant sweetshop in Cork city that I know of," Aisling said. She stood up and walked away. "Where's she going?" Oliver asked. "She has to get off Hogwarts grounds so she can apperate," Lucas answered grinning, "she'll probably pick up a few gifts for us as well while she's in Cork."

"She should be back in an hour or two," Kathryn added smiling. "And she'll be back with lemon drops for Dumbledore, chocolate for Lupin, and as many sweets as she can buy for us," Áine told Harry, Ron and Hermione grinning. "Don't forget about the fudge for McGonagall," Sarah said, "and of course jelly snakes for Professor Snape." "Snape likes to eat jelly snakes?" a few of the students said incredulously. "Yup, Voldemort has this pet snake and Snape likes to imagine the fact that he's killing that snake and eating it," Cedric said smiling at them. "He likes to imagine he's eating a snake?" Oliver asked. "Don't ask me, ask him he willingly wants to have the Defence Against the Dark Arts position," Cedric answered.

"Anyway, we should go back to the castle, it's getting rather cold out here," Hermione suggested. They all stood up, and started making their way back to the castle, unaware of the large black dog watching them from the Forbidden Forest.


	6. Chapter 6

Kathryn, Áine and Sarah looked up from the Gryffindor table when they heard someone walking into the Great Hall. Aisling grinned at her two friends and held out three bags of sweets in her hands. The three of them stood up and tackled her to the ground. "Here's Sarah's," Aisling said giving Sarah a bag of sweets with chocolate, marshmallows and some jellies in it. Sarah grinned at Aisling and pulled her into a hug, before walking back to the Gryffindor table.

"And Kat's," Aisling said holding out another bag. Kathryn looked in her bag to see some very fizzy sweets, a bit of chocolate and a piece of paper. "Ash, is this what I think it is?" Kathryn asked, excitedly as she stood up, and with the help of Áine, got Aisling standing on her feet again. "If you think that it's paper, then you'd be right," Aisling answered her grinning. "Is it the eatable paper that you told me about?" Kathryn asked excited. "Of course it is, now be a good little Slytherin and go sit beside Sarah," Aisling said to her, and Kathryn did the mature thing, and stuck her tongue out at Aisling before joining Sarah at the Gryffindor table.

"And then, there's Áine's," Aisling said to Áine, giving her her bag. Áine opened it to see lots of chocolate in it, along with some Jaffa Cakes. "You know me too well," Áine said to Aisling smiling. "Look underneath all the chocolate," Aisling suggested to Áine, who did just that, only to see lots of jelly beans, rather like a muggle version of 'Bertie Botts every flavoured beans'. Áine grinning, sat between Kathryn and Sarah.

Aisling groaned and looked up at the Professors table. She went to Professor Snape first, with a bag. Snape looked at her suspiciously, before cautiously opening the bag, only to see about ten jelly snakes in the paper bag. "Thank you," Snape said very softly. "No problem, professor," Aisling answered him, smiling, "if you ever want anymore just tell me, they aren't hard to get at all." Snape nodded, and Aisling moved onto Professor McGonagall.

McGonagall smiled at Aisling, she knew the bag that Aisling held in her hand all too well. When Aisling was in third year, and she had found out about McGonagall's soft spot for fudge, Aisling had continued to go to a sweet shop in Cork and bring fudge back to McGonagall. "You're too kind, Aisling," McGonagall said to Aisling. Aisling gave McGonagall the bag full to the brim with fudge. "You're the one that's been kind to me, professor," Aisling said to McGonagall, "and you know about my own, furry little problem." "Yes well," McGonagall said, her Scottish accent becoming slightly thicker while talking to the Irish woman, "you're under my protection, Black."

Aisling grinned at her old Head House, then moved to Professor Dumbledore. "Headmaster," Aisling said to Dumbledore, seriously with a straight face. "Aisling," Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling. "I know about your, sweet tooth, Professor," Aisling said, taking a large paper bag out from behind her back, "so I got you this." Dumbledore took the bag from her, his eyes twinkling even more. Dumbledore opened the bag, and he smiled in delight. "What's this," Dumbledore said delightedly, "Bertie Botts every flavoured beans, fudge, chocolate,toffee eclairs, bon bons and...OH! LEMON DROPS!" Aisling laughed at the look on the headmaster's face when he saw the lemon drops.

"You'd better give Remus his present as well, Aisling," Dumbledore said looking up at Aisling, eyes twinkling behind his glasses. "But sir," Aisling groaned. "If you weren't going to give it to him, then why did you buy it?" Dumbledore asked. Aisling playfully glared at the headmaster, before sighing dramatically before walking over to Lupin. "This is for you," Aisling said to Lupin, giving him a bag. Lupin looked into the bag, before looking back up at Aisling. "Is this all for me?" Lupin asked, amazed. "I don't think there's anyone else in the school that eats as much chocolate as you do, Moony," Aisling smiled at him, as his eyes lit up and he reached into the bag taking out one of the many bars of Cadbury's dairy milk chocolate, and offered a square to Aisling. "Except, maybe you," Lupin replied, smiling and Aisling smiled back at him, and sat down at the Gryffindor table between Harry and Áine.

Draco squished in between Aisling and Áine, before turning to smile at Aisling. "Did you get me anything?" Draco asked her. "Of course I did!" Aisling exclaimed and reached into her backpack, and pulled out yet another paper bag. Draco looked into and grinned at Aisling. "You, are my favourite relative, ever!" Draco exclaimed and took out one string of liquorice. It had a blue sort of skin and the inside of it was white.

Lucas and Cedric joined them at the table, sitting opposite Draco and next to the Weasley twins and Hermione, who sat next to Ron. "What about us?" Lucas and Cedric asked. "Yup, these two are for you," Aisling said reaching into her bag, and surprise, surprise, she took out two more paper bags. She threw them to Lucas and Cedric, who easily caught them and began to eat some of the sweets from their bags. "What about us?" the twins asked together, teasingly. "She doesn't care enough about us," Oliver said, teasingly. Aisling raised an eyebrow at the three of them, before putting her backpack on the table, before opening up the zip, and turning the backpack upside down. Sweets poured out from it and onto the table.

"What was that about her not caring about us?" Oliver asked the twins, as they stared with their mouths wide-opened at the amount of sweets. Ron reached forward and took a chocolate frog before eating it. The twins suddenly closed their mouths and began eating the sweets as well, as did Oliver, Hermione and many other Gryffindors.

Dumbledore suddenly stood up, and looked at Aisling, Sarah, Kathryn and Áine his eyes twinkling. "This isn't going to be good," Aisling muttered. "We will be having a ball tomorrow, for Christmas just before some students go home for the holidays," Dumbledore announced, "and we shall have a feast. Every student is required to dress up for this feast, and they can then change into different clothes for the ball." Dumbledore then sat down, and Aisling began gently banging her head against the table. "Is she alright?" Seamus asked Sarah, looking at Aisling smiling.

"Aisling doesn't particularly like wearing dresses, you see," Sarah answered grinning at her friend. "You'd look beautiful in one," Seamus, Oliver and the twins all said at the same time, they then began to blush. "Thanks guys," Aisling said to them, lifting her head off the table, "so who wants to take me to the ball?" "Perhaps I could have the honour of that?" Harry asked from beside her. "Of course Mister Potter," Aisling answered, "did you know that your father also brought me to a Christmas Feast?" Harry smiled at Aisling.

* * *

Aisling sat in the girls Gryffindor dormitory room, along with Sarah, Kathryn and Áine who had been invited by some of the Gryffindor girls. Sarah, Áine and Hermione had somehow managed to convince herself and Kathryn to come to the dormitory, to 'have fun'. "Professor Lupin is really good-looking, don't you think?" Angelina Johnson asked.

Sarah, Kathryn and Áine all glanced at Aisling who looked like she was day-dreaming. "He's really young," Hermione said. "What do you think about him Aisling?" Katie Bell asked. "Who?" Aisling asked looking up startled, "Remus? I guess he's okay looking." Áine snorted and earned a glare from Aisling. "But himself and I are in a bit of an argument right now," Aisling continued. "About what?" Hermione asked, curiously. "Loyalty," Aisling answered bitterly, "and betrayal."


	7. Chapter 7

"Harry," Aisling whispered quietly into his ear, "I've got something to tell you." Harry sat up in his bed, and tiredly rubbed his eyes. "Aisling!" Seamus hissed from his bed, "What are you doing here?" "Harry, meet me in the common room," Aisling said to him, before quietly leaving the boys dormitory without waking any of the other boys up. "Do you know what she wants?" Harry asked Seamus tiredly. Seamus shifted uncomfortably before, lying back down in his bed. "You better go down to her, Harry," Seamus answered, before going back to sleep.

Harry sighed, before pushing himself out of the bed and onto the floor. He groaned and stood up, before dragging himself over to his trunk, and pulling out a grey t-shirt and pulled it on over his head. Harry jogged down the stairs and into the common room, and saw Aisling, Áine, Sarah and Kathryn waiting in the common room. "Come on, Potter," Kathryn whispered to him.

"We've got a secret to tell you," Sarah said to him, very seriously, "but you can't tell anyone, not even Ron and Hermione." "Seriously though Harry," Áine said, "If anyone else finds out about it, Aisling might get into lots of trouble. And we mean proper trouble, like Azkaban." "I promise I won't tell anyone," Harry said. "Right, follow us," Aisling said to Harry, "before Sarah chickens out." "OI!" Sarah exclaimed, "I will not chicken out of this!"

* * *

Harry followed the four girls into the forest uncertainly. "Guys we're probably scaring the hell out of Harry," Aisling said, laughing. "We're so sorry, Harry," Kathryn said laughing, "we've just never told anyone about this before." "And Kathryn's paranoid," Áine added. "Do you think this is far enough in?" Sarah asked looking around. "Yup, I told Ronan and Firenze that we'd be in the forest, they're going to run anyone away," Aisling answered.

"So, Harry," Sarah said, "you know about the Christmas Ball, and the way that people have to dress up for it?" "Yeah," Harry answered. "Well we have an idea for what you could go as," Áine said grinning maniacally. "We were thinking, that you could go as an almost modern person from Game of Thrones, like someone from the Stark family," Kathryn said to him. "But don't the Starks have dire-wolves?" Harry asked.

"Ah, you see that's where Aisling comes in," Sarah answered. Aisling sighed, then Harry watched as she did the same transformation that he had seen Professor McGonagall do so many times before, except instead of a cat, Aisling turned into a large jet black wolf. It had blue eyes, and looked up to Harry rather nervously. "Well hello there, Fluffy," Harry said teasingly, as he reached down and began rubbing Aisling behind her ears.

Aisling then turned back into her human form, and looked at Harry. "So, what do you think?" Aisling asked, rather nervously. "It's bloody brilliant!" Harry exclaimed grinning. "These guys will now you show you there forms," Aisling said, she was back to being relaxed again. Áine smiled at Harry before quickly changing into a phoenix. Áine flew onto Harry's outstretched arm, and he gently stoked her feathers. "You're a phoenix," Harry smiled, Áine then flew onto the ground before changing back into a human.

Sarah smiled at Harry, before changing into a large chestnut horse. She nuzzled Harry's hand, and he laughed before stroking her nose. Sarah turned back into a human, and Harry then turned to Kathryn. Kathryn raised an eyebrow at him, but turned into a cat. Her fur was the same colour as Kathryn's hair, but her cat eyes were green. Kathryn then quickly turned back into a human.

"Now that you know that," Áine said, "I suppose we should also tell you that we're Metamorphmagus'." "You're what's?" Harry asked confused. "We're meta-morphus, no that's not it, feck it!" Aisling exclaimed, annoyed that she couldn't pronounced the word, "our hair and eyes change to match our mood. We can also occasionally change our face." Áine grinning, let her hair change to the colour she like most, which was completely white, but it was pink past her ears.

Kathryn's hair changed into a dark green, with silver highlights. "Supporting my house," Kathryn replied grinning to Harry, who had a raised eyebrow. Sarah's hair turned a dark purple, and it reached down to her shoulders. Aisling's short hair turned black, and the spiky bit at the top of her head became blue. "This is our favourite hair," Sarah explained to a grinning Harry.

"We better get back to the Common Room quickly," Áine said. The others nodded and they ran back to the castle. As they snuck into the Entrance Hall, they heard a very familiar drawling voice. "It's Snape!" Kathryn hissed. "Sarah and Áine you guys take Harry back to the Common Room, don't get caught," Aisling said, "we'll shake Snape off your trail." Áine and Sarah nodded before grabbing Harry and heading towards the Gryffindor Common Room, while Aisling and Kathryn walked towards where Snape's voice came from.

They turned the corner to see Peeves floating away and a very annoyed look on Snape's face. "You two!" Snape exclaimed seeing them, "You're out past curfew detention!" "I'm not a student here anymore!" Aisling exclaimed. "Technically neither am I!" Kathryn exclaimed. "It doesn't matter, Dumbledore told the staff that we could give you detention if you broke any school rules," Snape said smugly.

Aisling and Kathryn shared a groan, and soon found themselves cleaning the cauldrons in the dungeons. "Right!" Kathryn said happily, "That's the last one!" "Come on, let's go to bed, I'm wrecked," Aisling said before yawning. Snape nodded, satisfied that the cauldrons were clean enough and the two girls went to the different common rooms.

* * *

The next morning the school was full of excitement, even the teachers were looking forward to the ball that would be held that evening. At the Gryffindor table, Cedric walked over to Áine and sat down beside her grinning. "So, would you like to go the feast and the ball with me?" Cedric asked her. "It would be an honour, Mister Diggory," Áine answered grinning, "so what do you want to go as?" "Well as long as I don't sparkle, I'll come with you," Cedric answered.

Áine laughed remembering what Cedric had been made wear last Halloween by a fellow Hufflepuff. Aisling looked at them rather confused. "Last year, at Halloween, Cedric went to the feast with a fellow Hufflepuff who made him dress up as a sparking vampire," Lucas said sitting beside her. Aisling grinned, and looked at Cedric who's face was very red.

"How about Áine goes as an angel, and Cedric goes as a demon?" Kathryn asked looking at them, grinning. "That would be really cool!" Aisling exclaimed, "What with your white hair Áine!" Áine nodded grinning, as did Cedric. "Who are you going with Sarah?" Áine asked looking at her. "I'm going with Lucas, I'm going to be a pirate and Lucas will be James Bond," Sarah answered. Draco sat down beside Kathryn grinning. "Would you do me the honour of going to the ball with me?" Draco asked. "Yup," Kathryn answered grinning, "What will we go as?"

"Kathryn you could be Red Riding Hood," Áine suggested. "And Draco you could be the huntsman that saved her," Sarah added. "And I could double as both the wolf for Red Riding Hood and Harry's escort," Aisling said grinning. "That sounds really good!" Kathryn exclaimed. "But you'll have to wear a short white dress," Áine said. "I hate you," Kathryn groaned, "why doesn't Aisling have to wear a dress?!" "Because then I'd be a wolf in a dress!" Aisling exclaimed. "Ah, but you see she isn't getting away that easily," Sarah said grinning evilly and Aisling looked up at her warily.

"You see, Aisling has to wear a dress for the ball itself," Áine said, grinning. "NO!" Aisling exclaimed dramatically while Sarah, Áine and Kathryn began to laugh, which was somewhere between evilly and maniacally. "What are you three laughing about?" the Weasley twins asked grinning, and Harry, Ron and Hermione immediately turned their attentions to the three girls. "Aisling has to wear a dress to the ball!" Lucas exclaimed skipping towards them from the Ravenclaw table.

"I hate you all," Aisling muttered, before resting her head on the table. The rest of the day went by quickly, and the evening was soon upon them.


	8. The Ball

"Aisling, are you ready?" Harry asked coming down the staircase from his dorm. A black wolf stood waiting at the end of the stairs, answering his question. Her tail began to wag, and Harry laughed before rubbing behind her ears. They left the Gryffindor Common Room and went down to the Great Hall, where they met Lucas, Sarah, Cedric, Áine, Draco, Kathryn, Ron and Hermione. Harry was wearing a completely white shirt and black trousers, with black shoes and a Gryffindor tie.

Kathryn wore a short white dress, black tights, green converse and a red cloak was around her shoulders. She held a picnic basket in her hand. Draco was actually smiling at Harry, which surprised Harry a good bit. Draco was wearing a green tunic with a leather jerking on over it, a pair of brown breeches and some brown boots. He held a fake axe in his hand, and looked very like a huntsman.

Áine also wore a short white dress, but with red tights and white high heels. She also had a pair of white wings on her back, but Harry couldn't tell if they were real, of just very good fake ones. She also wore a necklace with a wing on it. Cedric was wearing a pair of dark jeans, a grey t-shirt and blue vans. He also had some wings on his back, but these were black and were they exact same as Áine's.

Sarah wore a pair of black leggings, a white shirt with a brown bodice on over it. She also wore a pair of brown high-heeled boots, and a black pirate hat. She had a fake sword on her belt. Lucas was in a black suit, with a black tie and black shoes to match. He had a fake gun in his belt, and Harry instantly realized who he was. "Shaken, not stirred," Lucas said grinning at them.

"I can't wait until the ball when I can take this costume off!" Kathryn exclaimed. Aisling's wolf let out a snort, and Kathryn suddenly turned slightly green before whacking Aisling's head. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Shadow!" Kathryn shouted. Lucas and Cedric sniggered, while Áine rolled her eyes, and the others just sighed. "Shall we go in?" Draco asked holding his arm out to Kathryn. "We shall," Kathryn answered, taking his arm and they walked into the Great Hall together.

Cedric held his arm out for Áine, and she took it. Lucas did the same for Sarah, and she took it as well. Harry, Ron, Hermione and in her wolf form all walked into the Great Hall together. The Great Hall, although bursting with Christmas colours, was full of Hogwarts students in Halloween costumes or just costumes. Harry looked down when he felt Aisling nudge his hand, he looked down at her and she looked at the Professors Table.

Professor Dumbledore had completely white robes on, and a white cloak on. He held a white staff in one hand, and Harry looked over at Áine, Sarah and Kathryn who had gasped as soon as they saw Dumbledore. "Sir!" Kathryn shouted across the Great Hall, "You're Gandalf!" "I'm glad somebody recognized that," Dumbledore said chuckling, his blue eyes twinkling and looked down at Aisling, "it's such a pity that Aisling couldn't be at the feast to see it." Harry absent-mindedly began rubbing behind Aisling's ears. She made a happy sound, and began to lick Harry's hand.

Professor McGonagall was wearing a beautiful green dress and seemed to be some queen. Harry just tipped Aisling's furry head, and pointed over at Professor Lupin. Lupin had some leather armour on his shoulders, a sort of leather skirt on and a strap connecting the shoulder armour to the skirt. He didn't wear anything on his top underneath the armour, he had bracers on his wrists and some leg armour. He held a fake sword in his hand.

Some of the girls blushed or giggled when they saw Lupin, and Aisling made a sound almost like a whine. Lupin, although skinny and scruffy was not lacking in the muscle department. No, his arms and torso were tanned and everyone could clearly see his eight-pack. Dumbledore chuckled at Aisling, and she playfully growled at him. "Come on, let's go sit down at the Gryffindor table," Hermione said, the large group nodded and walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down opposite the Weasley twins, Seamus Finnigan and Dean.

The twins were both pretending to be each other, Seamus was dressed up as an ancient Irish warrior, and Dean was a footballer. "Let the feast, begin!" Dumbledore announced, and food instantly appeared on the tables. Harry grabbed a piece of chicken, and gave it to Aisling, who lay curled up on his feet, keeping them warm with her extremely warm and fluffy body.

As they ate, Lupin stood up and began to make his way over to them. "Have you seen Aisling?" Lupin asked, "I was rather hoping to see what dress Áine forced her into." Aisling growled slightly at the thought of wearing a horrible pink fluffy dress. "Shadow, calm down, Professor Lupin is only teasing her," Harry said calmingly to Aisling, while he tried not to laugh. "Anyway, I would let Aisling pick the dress, you know what happened last time someone picked a dress for her," Áine answered. "It was pink, and fluffy," Draco murmured, "worst nightmare ever!"

Lupin finally seemed to see Aisling at Harry's feet. "Harry, where did you find that wolf?" Lupin asked calmly, "It isn't safe, I'll take it out for you." Aisling jumped out from under the table and stood growling between Harry and Lupin. "I don't think she liked that idea," Sarah murmured. Áine looked up at Snape, who noticed what was going on, he then nudged Dumbledore who looked up and smiled slightly. "Fluffy, how nice to see you again," Dumbledore said. Aisling stopped growling and looked up at Dumbledore, her tail wagging and tongue out. "You know this wolf, Headmaster?" Lupin asked. By now every student had turned around to see what was going on, that's what tends to happen when a professor is standing at the Gryffindor table with a wolf growling at him and talking to the Headmaster on the other side of the hall.

"Of course I do," Dumbledore said gently, "this young wolf, will do anything to keep Harry, and the ones she loves safe." Lupin nodded, still wary of Aisling. "Back to why I came over here," Lupin said, "the feast is almost over, do you know where Aisling is, I was hoping to dance with her at the ball." "I think she's in the Common Room," Cedric said, fighting back laughter at the unmistakable look of horror on Aisling's wolf face, "she said something about a dress being the hardest thing to put on." "Of course she did," Lupin said sighing and he left the Great Hall.

"Quick, we all have to go to the Slytherin dormitories to get changed," Kathryn said. "After all, Cedric never said which Common Room," Áine finished. "I have to get changed into normal clothes as well," Draco said, "I'll come with you, I'd say people will be leaving about now to get changed into clothes that they can actually dance in." "We're going to the Ravenclaw dormitories," Lucas and Cedric said. "Meet you guys back here in what, fifteen minutes?" Sarah asked. "Yeah, about that," Lucas answered, and they all sped off, while Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed at the table talking to one another.

* * *

Aisling changed back into her human form as soon as they were sure nobody else was in the Slytherin dormitories. "Do you, by any chance have my dress, Kat?" Aisling asked. "Yup, I do in fact have all our dresses," Kathryn answered, " and Draco's going to go get changed into whatever he's wearing." "Thanks for that," Draco said sarcastically and walked up to the boys dormitories, while the girls followed Kathryn up to the girls.

After a while, the girls all came down, just at the same time that Draco did. "Come on, I can't wait until I see the look on Lupin's face when he sees you!" Sarah exclaimed, and herself, Áine and Draco dragged Aisling and Kathryn down to the the Great Hall. They met Cedric and Lucas just outside the Great Hall, they all grinned at each other before walking into the Great Hall.

* * *

Lupin laughed as McGonagall almost hit Snape in the back of the head with one of the benches they were moving to the side of the Great Hall. "They look amazing," Harry said from behind Lupin. Lupin turned around when he heard Snape gasp. Sarah and Lucas came through the doors of the Great Hall, arm in arm.

Sarah wore a beautiful sleeveless lavender dress with a flower on the side. She wore high heels that matched her dress, along with a black jacket. She had a purple ring on and a golden horse necklace. Lucas wore the same suit he had worn to the feast and had a tie that matched Sarah's dress instead of the black tie he had worn. He also held purple flowers in his hand, the two walked over to the benches and sat down at them.

Kathryn and Draco came in after, arm in arm. Kathryn wore a long dress that was Slytherin green. Lupin smiled slightly when he saw the green converse peeking out from under the dress. She had a brown jacket on, a green ring and a necklace with a cat on it. Draco wore a black suit with a green tie that matched Kathryn's dress. He held some amaryllis flowers and they went over to join Sarah and Lucas at the benches.

Áine and Cedric followed them. Áine wore a beautiful red rose dress along with a red belt, the front was just about up to her knee and the back of the dress went to her ankles. She wore black tights on underneath the dress, and a pair of red high heels that matched her dress. She wore a black jacket that had gold embroidery at the edges of her sleeves and a necklace with what looked like a jar with a phoenix feather in it. Cedric wore a black suit with a red tie which matched Áine's, he held yellow tulips in his hand and they too went over to join Kathryn and Lucas.

Lupin's jaw dropped, along with Snape's when they both saw Aisling. She wore a blue dress that went to just above her knees, and wore skin-coloured tights. She had her black leather jacket on and was wearing a necklace with a wolf on it, and a celtic ring. Lupin's lips twitched upwards when he looked down and saw that she was wearing black converse. "I'll be back in a second," Lupin muttered to McGonagall. He walked past Aisling, smiling at her gently before running up to his room to get changed.

"My dear, you look amazing," Nearly Headless Nick said floating over to Aisling, Sarah, Lucas, Áine, Cedric, Kathryn and Draco. "Thank you, kind sir," Aisling said, curtsying. Harry, Ron and Hermione soon came over to join them. "You look amazing in a dress," Harry said looking at Aisling, before looking at the others, "you all do." "Oi, hands off!" Lucas said jokingly, pulling Sarah onto his lap, completely missing her blush. "Make the most of it," Aisling said, "you won't see it very often."

"My lady, could I perhaps have a dance at some point in this wonderful evening?" Peeves asked Aisling. "You may," Aisling answered smiling up at the poltergeist. "In the meantime, I will be annoying Filch," Peeves said, grinning mischievously before disappearing off to do exactly that. "Got your conk!" he shouted to a few first years who had just come back into the Great Hall. Aisling, Áine, Kathryn and Sarah all laughed. "Why did you teach him that?" Nearly Headless Nick asked, sighing. "We were bored," Sarah said shrugging, and pulled herself up out of Lucas' lap and sat down on the bench beside him.

As the other students began making their ways back into the Great Hall, Aisling's attention was on one person. Professor Remus John Lupin. "He looks amazing," Aisling said. The others followed her line of sight and smiled at Aisling. Lupin stood there, at his full height with his shoulders back. He wore black jeans, a white shirt, a black suit jacket, black converse and a red bow-tie. He also held red roses in his hands.

"Is he walking over to us?" Hermione asked, blushing. "Yup," Aisling said, then spotting one of the Weasley twins, grabbed him and started dancing. "Quick, Fred, dance with me," Aisling said to him. Fred nodded when he saw the look on Aisling's face, and the music started to play. Aisling grinned at Fred, he grinned back at her, they both recognized the song. 'Sex on Fire' by Kings of Leon began playing.

Lucas, Sarah, Draco, Kathryn, Áine and Draco all got up and started dancing with them, George came over and joined Fred and Aisling. "So, how did you know that that was Fred?" George asked her just as more students came up to dance on the dance-floor as well. "Fred is slightly taller than you," Aisling answered smiling at them. "You know," Fred began. "This is actually really fun," George finished.

* * *

They sat down after a few more songs. They were all smiling at each other, while other students stood up and started dancing as well. A young man walked into the Great Hall. He had short blonde hair which stuck up at the top, he had green eyes and seemed to be about the same height as Professor Lupin. He wore a tight fitting black shirt, which easily showed off his muscles, and a pair of jeans. Aisling, Sarah, Áine and Kathryn smiled widely when they saw him.

"Jamie!" Aisling exclaimed grinning. The young man smiled, and as Aisling ran forward to hug him, he picked her up and spun her around. "Would you care for this dance?" Jamie asked. "It would be a pleasure," Aisling said, and Jamie grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. Jamie smiled widely as soon as he recognized the song playing. "Jamie," Aisling sighed, but she was still grinning none the less. As soon as the song started to play, Jamie opened his mouth.

"You're just too good to be true," Jamie started to sing along,  
"Can't take my eyes off you  
You'd be like heaven to touch  
I wanna hold you so much  
At long last love has arrived  
And I thank God I'm alive  
You're just too good to be true  
Can't take my eyes off you

Pardon the way that I stare  
There's nothing else to compare  
The sight of you leaves me weak  
There are no words left to speak  
But if you feel like I feel  
Please let me know that it's real  
You're just too good to be true  
Can't take my eyes off you

I love you baby  
And if it's quite all right  
I need you baby  
To warm my lonely nights  
I love you baby  
Trust in me when I say  
Oh, pretty baby  
Don't bring me down I pray oh, pretty baby  
Now that I found you, stay and let me love you  
Baby let me love you...

You're just too good to be true  
Can't take my eyes off you  
You'd be like heaven to touch  
I wanna hold you so much  
At long last love has arrived  
And I thank God I'm alive  
You're just too good to be true  
Can't take my eyes off you

I love you baby  
And if it's quite all right  
I need you baby  
To warm my lonely nights  
I love you baby  
Trust in me when I say  
Oh, pretty baby  
Don't bring me down I pray oh, pretty baby  
Trust in me when I say  
I need you baby  
When will you come my way  
Oh, pretty baby  
Now that I found you, stay and let me love you  
Baby let me love you..."

Áine, Kathryn and Sarah shared a look before going over to Seamus Finnegan who was choosing the music. "Seam," Kathryn said. Seamus looked up, "Yup?" "Could you please play Crazier for the next song?" Áine asked. Seamus looked up at them with a raised eyebrow, Sarah nodded towards Aisling, Jamie and Lupin. Jamie was dragged away by Lavender Brown, and Lupin looked like he was going to ask Aisling to dance. Seamus nodded, and clicked a song from his playlist on the laptop.

* * *

"Would you do me the honour of dancing with me?" Lupin asked Aisling. Aisling smiled up at him, and he took her hands gently. The music began to play, and Aisling playfully glared at Áine, Sarah and Kathryn who were looking innocent before being pulled away by the people they had come to the feast with. "I always knew you'd looking amazing in a dress, princess," Lupin whispered in her ear, just before the song began.

"It would be my honour to dance with you tonight, as Padfoot isn't here," Draco said to Kathryn, who smiled and joined him on the dance-floor. The others joined them on the dance-floor, and couldn't help but smile at Lupin and Aisling as they began to waltz with the music.

"I'd never gone with the wind, "Aisling sang gently.  
"Just let it flow  
Let it take me where it wants to go to  
You open the door  
There's so much more  
I've never seen it before  
I was trying to fly  
But I couldn't find wings  
But you came along and you changed everything

You lift my feet off the ground(Lupin lifts her up and twirls her around)  
You spin me around(spins her around under his arm)  
You make me crazier, crazier  
Feels like I'm falling and I am lost in your eyes  
You make me crazier, crazier, crazier

I've watched from a distance as you made life your own  
Every sky was your own kind of blue  
And I wanted to know how that would feel  
And you made it so real  
You showed me something that I couldn't see  
You opened my eyes  
And you made me believe

Baby you showed me what living is for  
I don't wanna hide anymore  
Oh oh

You lift my feet off the ground  
You spin me around  
You make me crazier, crazier  
Feels like I'm fallin' and I am lost in your eyes  
You make me crazier, crazier, crazier  
Crazier, crazier, crazier."

* * *

_**The rest of the ball will be up soon(hopefully)**_

_**Kathryn and Lucas dressed up at the feast: kathryn_lucas_outfits_at_feast/set?id=67999274  
**_

_**Áine and Cedric dressed up at the feast: %C3%A1ine_cedrics_costumes_at_feast/set?id=677242697**_

_**Kathyrn and Draco dressed up at the feast: kathryn_dracos_costumes_at_feast/set?id=67715697**_

_**Aisling and Harry dressed up at the feast: aisling_escorting_harry_to_feast/set?id=67712645**_

_**Sarah and Lucas at the ball: sarah_lucas_at_ball/set?id=67005749**_

_**Kathryn and Draco at the ball: kathryn_draco_at_ball/set?id=66970638**_

_**Áine and Cedric at the ball: %C3%A1ine_cedric_at_ball/set?id=66968181 **_

_**Aisling and Lupin at the ball: aisling_remus_at_ball/set?id=66963172**_


	9. Snape's soft side

"Aisling, you guys are up next!" Seamus called across the dance floor. Aisling quickly stepped back from Lupin, and smiled shyly at him, before running off to Áine and Kathryn. "You guys ready?" Aisling asked them. "'Course," Áine answered, and took out her wand, "accio microphone." "Accio, electric guitar," Aisling said. "Accio, drums," Kathryn said. All three instruments turned up beside the girls. Áine took the microphone out of the stand, and Aisling picked up the guitar which was leaning against the drums. The girls just happened to be at the top of the Great Hall, when they summoned their instruments, and Jamie soon came to join them holding a bass.

"This next song, fits these three girls perfectly," Jamie said into the microphone that was attached to his ear. Áine grinned at Aisling and Kathryn, and Kathryn nodded back to them getting her drum sticks ready.

"I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation  
You're living in the past it's a new generation  
A girl can do what she wants to do and that's  
What I'm gonna do  
An' I don't give a damn ' bout my bad reputation

Oh no not me  
No no no no no  
Not me me me me me

An' I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation  
Never said I wanted to improve my station  
An' I'm only doin' good  
When I'm havin' fun  
An' I don't have to please no one  
An' I don't give a damn  
'Bout my bad reputation

Oh no, not me  
Oh no, not me

I don't give a damn  
'Bout my bad reputation  
I've never been afraid of any deviation  
An' I don't really care  
If ya think I'm strange  
I ain't gonna change  
An' I'm never gonna care  
'Bout my bad reputation

Oh no, not me  
Oh no, not me

Pedal boys!

An' I don't give a damn  
'Bout my bad reputation  
The world's in trouble  
There's no communication  
An' everyone can say  
What they want to say  
It never gets better anyway  
So why should I care  
'Bout a bad reputation anyway  
Oh no, not me  
No no, not me

I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation  
You're living in the past  
It's a new generation  
An' I only feel good  
When I got no pain  
An' that's how I'm gonna stay  
An' I don't give a damn  
'Bout my bad reputation

Oh no, not me  
Oh no, not  
Not me, not me."

The students clapped, and smiled up at the band. Áine looked at Aisling. 'Galway girl?' she mouthed to Aisling, who looked at Kathryn and they both nodded smiling at Áine. "If you're Irish and you don't know this song, then you are officially disowned," Áine said into the microphone, and the students laughed.

Just before the song started Jamie walked over to Kathryn and took another guitar from beside the drums before giving it to Áine. Áine stood beside Aisling, and Jamie now stood in front of them.

"I took a stroll down the old long walk," Jamie sang.  
"Of the day I-ay-I-ay  
I met a little girl and we stopped to talk  
On a grand soft day I-ay

And I ask you friends, what's a fella to do?  
Because her hair was black and her eyes were blue(Áine, Aisling and Kathryn's hair and eyes promptly changed colour to match the description)  
And I knew right then, I'd be takin a whirl  
Down the Salthill Prom with a Galway Girl

We're halfway there when the rain came down  
On the day I-ay-I-ay  
And she took me up to her flat downtown  
On a grand soft day I-ay

And I ask you friends, what's a fella to do?  
Because her hair was black and her eyes were blue  
So I took her hand, and I gave her a twirl  
And I lost my heart to a Galway Girl

When I woke up I was all alone  
With a broken heart and a ticket home  
And I ask you friend, what would you do?  
If her hair was black and her eyes were blue

See I've travelled around, I've been all over the world  
Boys  
I've never seen nothin like a Galway girl - Hey!"

"Now for the next song we need Seamus Finnegan, Draco Malfoy, Sarah Davies, Lucas, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall out on the dance-floor, and we need everyone to clear a space for the next few dances," Jamie said. The students all looked at each other confused but sat down on the benches on either side of the Great Hall anyway. "You can join in at any time," Áine said grinning, and put the microphone back into the stand and moved it right beside the wall. Aisling and Jamie put their instruments leaning against the wall, and Jamie put Áine's guitar leaning against it as well, while Lucas gave Kathryn a hand to move the drums as far back as they could.

They all went out onto the dance floor, and Seamus hit play on the laptop before running over to join them. They all stood in a straight line, grinning at the song that was about to start playing. The tin-whistle started it's little tune in the song, the man started 'dum-dada-diddling', and suddenly then there was some loud thumping from the drums, establishing the rhythm of the song. The man started to sing 'Ó mo dhreoilín' and the people out on the dance floor began to tap their feet in time with the song.

They all started dancing as soon as they heard 'Ite ag an gcat'. As one they all moved their arms to the right side and did a small wave twice, before moving their arms to the left and doing the small wave twice again. They then crossed their left hand across their chest and put their right hand up perpendicular to it before doing three twirls with their index finger, then switched hands and did three twirls with their left index finger.

They then rolled their arms in circles of each other while leaning forward, then leaned backward doing the same thing, leaned forward again, then leaned backwards once again. They then put their hands on their waists, took two steps forward, two steps backward, jumped forward, jumped backward, jumped in the middle, before jumping and turning to face the left wall. They continued dancing like this, rotating around until the song was finished. (Song is An Dreoilin; go onto youtube and type /watch?v=_dJ5zcNUROk after youtube)

"That was some Irish culture, now this is another Irish song, Aisling, myself, Áine and Kathryn will do an example of the dance," Jamie said. "So, who's going to be the guy out of the three girls?" Áine asked grinning. "Aisling," Jamie immediately said, and Aisling glared at him, before sighing and agreeing to it. Jamie carefully took Áine's hand in his, and Aisling held Kathryn's hand and the two couples stood facing each other.

The music started playing and they Irish danced in to meet the other couple, before dancing out a few steps again, they then danced in again and out again. Áine and Kathryn who were diagonally across from each other danced across and took the others place, and Aisling and Jamie did the same thing again. Aisling and Áine who were now standing opposite each other, took the others hand and sidestepped seven times away from Kathryn and Jamie, while Kathryn and Jamie did the same thing. They then came back into meet one another, and turned to face their original partners. They crossed their arms and twirled around in a circle, and the music stopped.

"So you see, girls stand on the right, guys on the left," Sarah said loudly and began to explain the dance, "you dance in one-two-three, you dance out one-two-three, you dance in again, then you dance out. The girls dance across and take the others space, then the boys do the same thing. You take the hand of the person opposite you and dance away from the other couple seven steps, then dance back in. You then turn to your original partner, take their hands in a criss-cross before twirling around, you then have your back to your old partners and face a new couple."

"There'll be six or seven rows full of couples," Jamie said. "Now go and ask someone to be your partner," Áine said, before the group of friends went over to join Harry, Ron, Hermione, the Weasley Twins and Oliver. Draco walked with them over to the group. "Would you care to be my partner for this dance?" Oliver asked Aisling grinning. "It would be my pleasure, Oliver," Aisling answered. "Would you like to dance with me, Kathryn?" Fred asked her grinning. "I would love to," Kathryn answered smiling back at the slightly taller twin. "Áine, will you please be my dance partner?" George asked. "Yes, I will," Áine smiled at him.

Lucas snuck up behind them and grabbed Sarah. "Would you be my partner for the rest of the evening?" Lucas asked her. "I'll think about it," Sarah teased. "Potter," Draco said bowing slightly to Harry, "would you do me the honour of being my partner for this dance?" Harry looked at Draco startled, then looked at Aisling, Áine, Sarah and Kathryn for help. "This is his way of becoming friends with someone," Aisling explained, "it's sort of like an apology." "I accept," Harry answered. "Hermione will you dance with me?" Ron asked Hermione who nodded.

* * *

The students were all in couples lined up in seven rows across the Great Hall. Aisling smiled at Oliver as he gently held her were facing Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. The next couple they were dancing with was Professor Lupin and Professor Hootch. Then Áine and George, and it went on and on. Aisling and Oliver glanced over at Harry and Draco at one point, they both seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely, and they weren't the only guys that were dancing together.

The song soon ended however, and everyone clapped, having enjoyed the dance. Kathryn and Fred were on their way over to Aisling and Oliver, when Kathryn suddenly stumbled, but Fred stopped her from falling. Kathryn simply ignored her, while Fred was trying to keep his temper in check, but Aisling had no such control over her temper. Oliver held onto her hand, squeezing it reassuringly and making sure she couldn't go over to Pansy. Draco rushed over to Kathryn to check if she was okay, and glared at Pansy as the three of them walked over to Aisling and Oliver.

Snape also walked over to them. "Professor Snape, I didn't think you'd dress up!" Kathryn exclaimed looking at him. "I didn't dress up," Snape answered. "You make an amazing vampire, Severus," Aisling said grinning. Snape glared at the two of them. "Professor, did you wash your hair?!" Kathryn exclaimed. "That's why he looks so different," Aisling said. Snape shook his head, exasperated with the two of them. "I just thought you'd like to know that Miss. Parkinson has detention," Snape said, then glided away.

"May I have this dance?" a voice asked. Aisling turned around, only to came face to face with Professor Lupin.


End file.
